We Regret to Inform You
by E. J. Morgan
Summary: Spoilers for S06E06 In the show, we don't see old teammates, friends and family on Christopher's funeral and they haven't been mentioned later either, which I find rather odd and sad. So, this is how I think they find out about his death and how they react to it.
1. Chapter 1

Sonja Percy had finally finished a month-long, extremely tiring undercover assignment with her FBI team and now she didn't have any other wish but to take a long hot shower then grab a bowl full of steaming hot popcorn and watch something in the TV. It didn't even matter what, since she knew she would fall asleep almost instantly anyway. In the past weeks she hadn't set foot in her rented apartment and to her immense annoyance she now found all her age-old and somewhat dingy furniture covered in a thick layer of fine dust. She would have to clean soon – but not tonight. Glad she had remembered to grab some food on the way home (the fridge was of course completely empty save for a by now moldy and smelly piece of cheese she had somehow forgotten to throw out), she dumped the grocery bag on the counter and turned the heating up as high as it would go. It was freezing.

At times like that, she was really missing New Orleans: the climate, the friendly, always festive environment, her friends… There, she'd had her best friend as roommate, a team leader who cared more for the team than any other boss she'd ever had, including the recent one, and a partner whom she'd loved a lot more than what was proper in their position. Still loved, in a way… She had also always felt exasperated by him to extremes but that was beside the point now.

She hadn't regretted her decision to leave NCIS and join FBI, per se, but she was sometimes hit by waves of nostalgy she couldn't shake for days, and it would always ruin her mood so much that even her teammates noticed it. Damn, she didn't need that now. Not when she was so exhausted that she was on the brink of collapsing in a heap of misery anyway!

Heaving a sigh, she started towards the bathroom when she noticed the blinking red light of the answering machine, demanding her attention.

'Who would use this number?' – She wondered since normally her friends and family members called her cell phone. Of course, she hadn't been able to pick it up lately, but still… who even knew her landline!? She couldn't remember giving it to anyone. Deciding that whoever had left the message probably days or maybe even weeks ago could wait another 30 minutes, she proceeded with her original intention of showering before anything else.

And still, while enjoying the hot water streaming on her head and down her back, calming her muscles and relaxing her tense shoulders, she couldn't shake the nudging curiosity about the mysterious message. Again: who could it be? What could they want? Her thoughts kept wondering back to these questions despite herself and in the end, she had to admit defeat: she wouldn't be able to spend as much time in the shower as she had originally intended for she was too restless to solve the puzzle.

'Okay, I'll just listen to it very quickly and then I won't have to worry about it any longer.' – Contented with the plan, she wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself and covered her dripping-wet, now shoulder-length dark hair with another one. Stepping into her furry slippers, she left the bathroom. The entire apartment was cozy and warm by now and Sonja was feeling much better than before.

Not suspecting anything bad, she pressed to button on the innocent-looking answering machine.

Instantly, her long-time-no-see friend Gregorio's broken voice filled the room.

_Sonja, it's me… Tammy… Listen, sorry but I had P search for this number since your cell's turned off… Ahm… we should talk. Can you call? Please?_

That was sixteen days ago and since Sonja – for obvious reasons – hadn't sought her ex-colleague out, there were more messages as well.

_Hey, I get it, okay: you have a new life and a new job and I know we haven't exactly kept in touch like we promised… And I'm sorry. But this is important. Very important. Please, call me._

After that slightly demanding second message, the third and last one was more like a pleading than anything else, dispelling any doubt Sonja might have had up to that point that the situation was really urgent.

_Damn it… Sonja. Please! Okay, I won't harass you anymore if you really don't want to talk to me. But I'm also not going to say what I wanted to an answering machine. If you'll be interested in the future, you know how to reach me. Ah… okay, that's it then, I guess._

Of course Sonja knew how to reach her old friend. Forgetting – and also not caring – about the late hour, she yanked the phone from its resting place so fast that she nearly tore the cord and dialed the number she still knew by heart, without even having to think about it for a second.

She had to wait for six rings before a sleepy voice greeted her.

_\- Gregorio… Who's that?_

\- Tammy, it's me – The sleepiness was instantly gone and Sonja could hear her friend literally jump up from the bed and, going by the soft 'thump' she heard, probably end up sitting on the floor. – I'm sorry I haven't called, I was away on an assignment. I only now got your messages…

_\- Oh… okay. I though you didn't want to talk to us or something…_

\- Why wouldn't I?

_\- I don't know…_

Something was definitely wrong, it wasn't like Gregorio to be this lost and unsure of herself.

\- Tammy, what happened? Is something the matter?

_\- Yes… I… don't really know how to tell you this… Damn. I was planning on meeting you. Inviting you even to… but it doesn't matter anymore, it's too late for that. And I don't know what to do. I wanted to have Sebastian here or P or anyone when we tell you…_

Okay, whatever was going on, it was starting to freak Sonja out. She had never ever heard her friend beat around the bush like that! Gregorio was nothing if not straightforward, sometimes even bordering on being too blunt. Surely not insecure and stammering.

\- Just tell me already! Is everyone all right…?

_\- No… It's… oh, God. Sonja: it's Christopher._

The ex-NCIS agent felt her legs start to tremble and she had to hold the phone more firmly in her hand for fear it would slip out of her suddenly sweaty palm.

\- What about him? Is he injured? At the hospital? – Not waiting for an answer she began to quickly calculate in her head how soon she could get to New Orleans. Maybe she could catch the first plane in the morning from New York and be there by 11:00 AM… - I will need the room number and his doctor's name and-

_\- Sonja… Christopher is not at the hospital. Not anymore._

\- Oh, that's good then. I guess he's at home? Still living at the same place? I'll be there tomorrow and I'll give Country Mouse a lecture about taking care of himself. I'm guessing he's still unaware that people actually do care even if he clearly doesn't. He's hopeless and-

_\- He's not at home either… Look, he's-_

\- All right, it figures Pride would want to keep him close after he's managed to land himself in trouble again. What was it this time? Don't tell me it was because of another crazy woman? Or some heroic act to take on the enemy alone? – She could hear a chocked hiccup from the other end of the line that suspiciously sounded like a sob and it didn't do anything to reassure her in the least. – But… he's all right, isn't he? Tammy…?

_\- I… You know… No. He's not. Ahm…_ \- Dread hit Sonja again with full force and still, she couldn't believe what she was hearing when her friend continued. – _I'm so sorry, Sonja. I don't know how to make it easier for you to hear so I'll just say it: he died. About two weeks ago. We haven't really come to terms with it ourselves yet._

\- What…?

_\- He was shot. Three times. Once in the arm, that wouldn't have been so bad but the other two… Pride did everything he could, he airlifted him to the best hospital available. He was instantly operated. He was stable after that but then… Then he wasn't. I don't understand, it all happened so fast._

\- But…

Tammy's voice was hoarse, it was clearly a great effort for her to say the words but Sonja wasn't listening anymore. Not really. Her legs had long ago given up on the task of supporting her weight and she had sunk to her knees, holding the phone awkwardly; cord about to be torn from the wall soon.

_\- We were all just standing there, gaping. We couldn't help him! And the doctors, they tried to revive him… Remember when we had to give him CPR and he was dead for four minutes? He then got up and was fine, never even mentioned it anymore, right? I thought it would be like that now, too, because LaSalle is always fine, isn't he? He's like a cat that has nine lives. But the lives ran out this time and I don't know why…_

\- I… I… I don't… NO!

_\- Oh, God, Sonja, I don't know what to do. Pride is devastated and I think he even blames himself for not miraculously appearing before the shooting or something, and Loretta… I can't even recognize her anymore! _\- Apparently, now that Tammy had started talking about what was going on to someone who hadn't been part of it, she couldn't stop. – _And Sebastian and P… Even Hannah… I guess you don't know who she is, do you? Anyway, she didn't even know LaSalle that well and she's still depressed. What was it about him!?_

At that precise moment the cord of the phone gave up its heroic fight against gravity and popped out of the socket, effectively cutting the call. Sonja didn't care. She didn't notice. She was sitting on the floor, staring into nothing, trying to make sense of what she had just heard.

Her Country Mouse couldn't be dead. He just couldn't, especially not for two weeks already! She had been working, eating, sleeping, even joking and laughing during that time and it would have been impossible for all these to happen if Christopher hadn't been alive and well at that time anymore! She was sure she'd have known it if something had happened. She'd have felt the Earth stop spinning or the Moon fall off the sky. There would have been hurricanes, earthquakes, fires or huge, nationwide blackouts. Christopher lived his entire life burning and soaring like a ball lightning; how could his death be quiet and simple then?

When somebody tried to shoot her Country Mouse, guns dry fired and he forgot to even mention it afterwards. When he _was_ shot, he had Kevlar on and didn't even flinch. If he was overdosed, he bounced back from the death. He might be kicked down but he always got up easily right away, joking and assuring everyone he was fine. When he fell and hit his head, he claimed that only his ego was bruised. Christopher LaSalle certainly didn't die from simple gunshots, lying on a hospital bed, silently and permanently.

Christopher didn't do anything silently and permanently, period.

He was constantly in movement, he couldn't be still, so he couldn't be dead. Dead people didn't move – Christopher didn't stop moving. That was a contradiction impossible to resolve, therefore it couldn't be true. That was logical, so why couldn't Tammy see it? There must be a mistake. Or they were playing some cruel joke on her? If so, then they would regret ever being born; especially Country Mouse if he was in on this game as well.

By now she had worked herself into a full-blown rage, so she stood and threw the now useless phone at the wall, feeling a funny kind of satisfaction upon hearing it shutter to pieces. Good, better an inanimate object than LaSalle's head when they'd meet. Because they would meet, she had decided. She'd travel to New Orleans and give them a piece of her mind about pulling cruel pranks on someone; that someone being her. Yes, that's what she would do. Definitely.

But despite having made her decision, she couldn't shake the dread: what if it was true? Could it be? Surely not, but there was only one way to find out. She found her cell with difficulty and dialed the number she hadn't used in ages but knew equally as well by heart as the first one she'd used that night.

Christopher's phone just rang and rang but there was no answer. 'This doesn't mean anything, it's late after all.' – She told herself, ignoring the fact that, in New Orleans, it was only shortly after 10 PM and Christopher had never been asleep at that time yet. Come to think of it: why was Gregorio sleeping? Maybe they had just finished a case, and were as exhausted as she was. Yes, that must be it. So, she decided to write an SMS instead.

_Hey, Country Mouse, what's that stupid rumor I'm hearing? Do you think it's funny to scare me like that? Well, it's not, you great moron!_

Yes, that would do. Now, he'd read it in the morning, and know she was pissed. Then he'd call and apologize.

As an afterthought, she typed again:

_Call me when you get this and don't you dare continue with the prank, or I'll make you wish it were true! Do you hear, LaSalle? I'll make you pay! I'll be in NOLA tomorrow._

Okay, now she'd just have to wait 'til the morning to take his head off personally. She was just about to log on her computer to buy the plane ticket when her cell rang. A quick glance confirmed: it was Christopher.

She picked up and spoke instantly.

\- You're such a caveman, Country Mouse, you know that? You had Tammy do this, right? Is this revenge because we haven't talked since I left?

_\- Percy… It's Dwayne._

\- Pride? Why are you using LaSalle's phone? What's going on? Don't tell me you're in on this stupid prank as well!

_\- Sonja, I thought you knew… Gregorio was going to call you. I'm sorry, but Christopher is-_

\- NO! Don't you dare say it. Why are you all doing this to me?

_\- Sonja-_

\- NO! I won't believe it! I've gone through hazing with the team once already, I know they're ready to do anything. I just didn't expect you to cooperate.

_\- I'm not. Listen-_

\- No, you listen! I'm done with this.

With that, she ended the call with an angry snort and fumed. 'I'll show them! They will learn not to mess with me!' – For a while, she even managed to ignore the small voice in her head that replayed the somewhat one-sided conversation with her old boss, highlighting the broken, sad voice of the usually strong and confident man. Like Gregorio, he sounded tired to the bone, and hoarse as if he had been crying. Weak, even, which in itself was unbelievable.

'What if…?'

Her phone rang again, and this time, it was Pride's own number on the display.

\- I'm sorry, I…

_\- It's okay, Sonja. It's not easy for us to believe either and we were there when it happened…_

\- So, it's true then? He's really gone?

She had a hard time keeping it together and she was sure her old boss could hear it, too.

_\- Yes. It is true. I'm so very sorry._

\- But… Why? WHY?

Now, she was sobbing and couldn't seem to stop long enough to take a proper breath. She felt as if she were suffocating.

_\- I don't know…_

\- It's not fair!

_\- No, it's not._

\- I want to see his grave.

_\- Of course. I'll take you there. You don't have to deal with this alone._

She nodded, even though Pride – dear, caring Pride who would be willing to forget about his own grief for her sake – obviously couldn't see her. As horrible as it would surely be, she knew she needed to visit the cemetery. Maybe then she would believe it: her once best friend and partner, her great rival and sometimes the most annoying person in the entire world… The one and only Christopher LaSalle a.k.a. Country Mouse was truly and really GONE.

The world would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello, Everyone! I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the long wait, I usually post new chapters much sooner. But my mother died in February and after that I had trouble writing about death and funerals for a while, so I just couldn't finish this chapter at all for weeks. **

**Now I'm back and I'm hoping to finish the story soon. :)**

**II. Brody**

Meredith Brody had left NCIS years ago and she still couldn't get over how much she missed her team. Yes: in her mind, they were still _her_ team. Ever since leaving New Orleans, she hadn't managed to find her place and had been moving around the country every few months – just like before her time as a naval criminal investigative service agent. She couldn't understand how resigning had seemed like a good idea at that time; just because she'd been humiliated and used by someone who didn't even have anything to do with her job, she shouldn't have thrown everything away. Well, she knew that now but not back then.

Back in 2016, when they had gotten their unexpected leave after the whole Russo fiasco that felt more like a punishment than a chance to relax, she'd been certain the whole thing was her fault and she needed to make it up to the others somehow.

Anyway, she had left and there was nothing to do about it anymore. Since then, she hadn't retained any job for longer than half a year, and each one was worse than the last. Right now, she was working as a private investigator in Chicago and was barely getting by. Apparently, people didn't want to spy on each other that much anymore, so jobs were few and far between. As a matter of fact, she was already thinking about moving on again…

The worst of all was that she hadn't kept in touch with her friends who used to be her family.

Pride, the caring team leader who'd do anything for his people… Oh, how he'd tried to talk her out of leaving! He'd even offered to give her more time away from the job when the others had to go back, and would have allowed her to take on less responsibility in the future, had she opted to stay. In the end, she'd had to lie through her teeth and say she'd been thinking about leaving for a while and that it wasn't just Russo causing her anxiety. Normally, lying to Pride was out of question and totally impossible anyway, but on the phone, under those circumstances, it had come easily enough. And in the end, he had let her go with a resigned sigh.

Loretta, who had given her a home and had made sure she felt safe and sound there. With whom she could talk and be sure her secret was safe with her.

Sebastian, dear Sebastian… He had tried so hard to help her. He'd been the only one to notice something was up and had done everything in his power to change it. Had she just allowed herself to accept the help he was offering…

Triple P with his kindness and humor… He had been through hell and back when he'd been paralyzed and still: he'd never given up. The man was stronger than she'd ever be and she admired him for that endlessly.

Percy had been her first real female friend in a profession mostly dominated by men: someone to have girls' night out with, someone who was there to just talk, someone who understood her. Sonja had such a strong personality; she could stand her ground against anyone, and give a hard time to any man around her. Merri had always been a bit jealous of the easiness she navigated in the world with but she loved her enough not to be bitter but happy for her success.

And LaSalle… Oh, Christopher, her pain-in-the-ass little brother who had the heart of the size and shape of Alabama, and who had been so good to her during her time with the team. In the beginning, Merri had been afraid he'd resent her just for being there, since before that, it had only been Pride and him, the legendary and successful 'father and son' duo. Surely, they didn't need her and couldn't wait to get rid of her, right? Well, it turned out, he hadn't been envious and/or feeling threatened by her; quite the contrary: he had gone out of his way to make her feel welcome and at home with them. He had constantly assured her with actions (sometimes even words) that she really and truly belonged and it wouldn't change ever. Receiving her very own Lego building… that had been the moment she really knew she'd arrived at her destiny.

Now, it was all gone because of Russo. And because of her own stupidity. But mostly the latter. Damn.

Well, no use dwelling on it anymore. She heaved a heavy sigh and just started to stir her morning coffee when the phone rang. A glance at the cell revealed an unknown number that didn't seem familiar at all.

'Who could it be?' – She asked herself as she answered the call. Of course, she had a brief thought that it could be a client calling with a new assignment but she barely dared hope.

\- Yes…?

_\- Merri? Oh, thank God, I didn't know if you'd be available…_

Sebastian!? – One of the persons who had done so much for her and she'd left him high and dry. Without even a goodbye. Her heart broke again at the reminder what she had lost as she cleared her throat to be able to speak normally. – Wow, Sebastian… How are you? How is everyone?

_\- I… How are you, Merri? _

\- I've been fine… - She wondered if he'd be able to tell she was lying. He'd always known before but so much time had passed since…

_\- No, you haven't._ – Okay, maybe time didn't matter after all. – _And I'm sorry because what I'm about to tell you, won't help with that._

\- What happened? – She had a very bad feeling, since it wasn't habitual for Sebastian to call her. Actually, they hadn't spoken at all since her last day at work.

_\- It's Christopher…_

Merri felt dread upon hearing the name spoken in that broken manner and instantly got the feeling something very serious was up. She hoped the young man hadn't gotten himself too badly injured. She still remembered how they had all felt when they learnt he'd nearly been shot.

\- What about him?

_\- He was shot._

\- Oh, God! But he's all right, isn't he? I mean, he doesn't usually care about such mundane things as his health… Is Pride very angry? And Sonja? I can't begin to imagine the lecture she's probably giving him right now. I bet he's whining about it more than about the injury itself. – She tried to joke because anything else would result in her bursting into tears.

_\- Merri… He's not all right. He… ahm… died. Yesterday. _– Meredith Brody was a strong woman. She needed to be in order to survive everything life had thrown at her, beginning with her twin sister's untimely death many years ago. But this… this she hadn't expected. – _I know it's unbelievable… We're all still in shock. You should see Pride; I think he's near his breaking point now._

\- I... I just can't believe this.

_\- Me either._

\- What happened?

_\- He was looking for Cade's murderer and-_

\- Cade? His brother? He's dead, too?

_\- He died just before Christopher. Now we're trying to finish what he was doing and solve both cases._

\- Their parents… - She couldn't imagine a mother and father having to bury both their children at the same time.

_\- Both dead, Merri. His mother died when he was little and his father about a year and a half ago. But his stepmother is devastated. They were close._

\- The whole family… gone…?

_\- Cade and Christopher have an older sister but we don't know anything about her. Pride will try to find out though._

\- Okay. – What else was there to say? She wasn't even sure if she was dreaming or if this was really happening. – How is Sonja…? I know they were… whatever they were.

_\- She doesn't know yet. Tammy has been trying to reach her but no success so far. Ahm, Tammy is a teammate you haven't met._

\- Sonja isn't with NCIS anymore? – She had obviously missed a lot.

_\- No._

\- Oh. – What to do? What should she say? – I… suppose… When is the funeral? – The question came out of nowhere, surprising both of them.

_\- Ahm… He's in the mo—I mean, with Loretta right now. After that, in a few days… He'll have a military funeral._

\- That's good, he certainly deserves it.

_\- Yes._

A long, heavy silence followed during which Merri tried to come up with something to say. In the end they both spoke at the same time.

\- You know-

_\- Will you- ahm. Sorry. You go first._

\- No. You. – She didn't have a clue what she'd been about to say anyway.

_\- I just wanted to ask if you'll come? To the funeral, I mean._

\- Ahm… - Did she want to go? Could she bear to be there? – I don't know my work schedule yet. – Okay, that was lame. – I will try…?

_\- Sure. Of course._

\- I will try, I promise! I want to go, but I work a lot, and I never know when I have to go and-

_\- Merri: it's fine. I'll send you the details and then you can decide. No pressure._

\- Thanks.

**NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA**

And Sebastian, true to his word, really had texted her the place and date, which was today. Merri was standing, hidden from others, in front of the graveyard twenty minutes before the ceremony was due to begin, and watched from afar as her old teammates – no, _family members_ – arrived all together, very clearly keeping each other company during these difficult times. Oh, how Merri longed to be there with them, holding their hands, giving and receiving support! But it wouldn't happen. Not anymore, because it was impossible to erase the past, so she only entered when she knew the others were occupied with finding their place around the coffin and wouldn't notice her.

During the ceremony, she remained concealed and watched from far away as Loretta continuously wiped her eyes with her favorite handkerchief while Sebastian patted her shoulder in a futile attempt of consolation. A dark-haired woman Merri had never seen before – probably the new girl she had been told about – was, in turn, rubbing Sebastian's back even though she herself had tears running down her face. Right next to them, holding the woman's other hand, was Triple P in his wheelchair, looking small and endlessly sad. This was something Merri hadn't seen before: the man was usually larger than life, endlessly optimistic and always ready to crack a joke to lighten the mood. Not this time, though. This time it seemed like he had run out of things to say or do, so he was just staring ahead into the hole in the ground where the casket was to be placed soon, unmoving and completely lost to the world. But the worst of them all was Pride. Seeing the man like that sent a painful stab into Merri's hardened heart and nearly caused her to fall over crying. The man who had been for all intents and purposes a father to the young man they were burying right now, seemed so lost and old that she couldn't imagine him surviving the ordeal. If the sight of the others was heartbreaking, she couldn't even find the right word for _that_. The man was broken. Simple as that. He wasn't talking to anyone. He clearly didn't realize the others were trying to communicate with him, or that, at some point, Loretta grabbed his hand and held it tightly to her heart. He wasn't even crying. It was as if he wasn't there at all in mind, only in body. Maybe he was in a trance, or something? That would explain the empty, glassy eyes, at any rate…

Many times, Merri was about to move closer, to let them see her, try to give strength with her presence… But something always held her back. Did they even want her there? Okay, Sebastian had invited her, that was true, but what about the others? She hadn't talked to them for years, hadn't even said goodbye when she'd left… Surely, they would think she had no business being there, wouldn't they? After all, she hadn't kept in touch with Christopher either… So she remained behind a tree in a distance where she had no trouble hearing the speech that praised LaSalle's bravery and loyalty but that had nothing to do with the person he'd really been.

For he'd been more than an agent. He had been first and foremost _family_. Someone they'd always been able to count on. Who would do and sacrifice everything for those who mattered to him. According to the speaker, he'd liked to focus on his job and had always strived to be a better agent. In reality, he'd liked to play pranks on his teammates and to build Lego buildings for the children's hospital more than anything. Yes, a grown man who played with Legos. It was probably something you didn't mention at a military funeral, but it was the truth nonetheless. When the speech turned to the topic of how Christopher had made NCIS proud, Merri couldn't take it any longer and turned to leave.

It was all just a façade, nothing more. That man, he didn't know what the hell he was talking about. The ones who did, couldn't find their voices and were probably just as nauseated by this whole theater as she was. It didn't matter anyway: they could mourn in their own way, they really didn't need a ceremony for that.

With a last look at the sorrowful team and a sobbing elderly woman who was most probably Chris's stepmother Sebastian had mentioned, Merri quickly walked toward the gate, away from it all.

She never found out that she missed Pride's well-practiced and much more heartfelt speech.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Christopher mentions a sister more than once in the beginning in the series before we meet Cade and the 'sister' is completely forgotten; never talked about again. I realize it was probably just a mistake on the writer's part or something that was dropped/changed later on, but in my mind, Cade and Chris had an older sister: Elisabeth. These are her thoughts.**

**III. Lizzy**

Elisabeth Ryan née LaSalle had just said goodbye to her 8-year-old son as he had climbed into the school bus and disappeared from view. Another day was starting and, like always, she would be doing her normal routine: go to Walmart, shop for groceries and some other household items, go home and cook dinner, clean the house then watch a bit of television or read a good book until her son would arrive home. Her husband, Harold Ryan was on a business trip in Europe and wouldn't come back for another week. That was something Elisabeth, or as everyone called her: Lizzy, was very well accustomed to. Harold was the leader of a great enterprise together with his father, Harold Senior, and with all the meetings, dinners and workshops didn't really have much time for his family left.

Lizzy always said she didn't understand how or why she had chosen to go from one always busy father to one always busy husband… Of course, at least she knew they'd never have money matters. That was important as well, since as she had expected: it hadn't been her inheriting her father's firm.

No, their father's favorite son: Christopher had.

It didn't even matter that she was the firstborn child or that Cade was the firstborn son. No, their father had chosen his youngest a long time ago to fulfill his dreams and there was nothing either of them could do about it. She had always thought it was incredibly unfair and had tried to talk to her father numerous times – without success. Once the man had made up his mind about something, there was no changing it.

The 'best' about this whole situation was the Christopher had made it clear a thousand times from the beginning that he _didn't want_ to follow in their father's footsteps. He wanted to have an own life, away from it all, and he'd be happy to let any of his siblings take the place reserved solely for him. That was all so messed up!

Christopher had been so adamant about being left out of the family meddling that he moved far away from Alabama as soon as he turned 18, never to look back. He still loved his sibling and kept in touch with them (well, mostly… when he's extremely busy schedule permitted it) but it was easy to see he wouldn't ever return and live the life laid out for him. After their father died, he had gone home for a while but had been and still was very reluctant to take care of business matters. And with Cade's troubles and him being in and out of family life, Lizzy couldn't understand why it couldn't be _her_!?

She had gone to business school. She had always been there with their father and had listened to his instructions. She was interested; none of her brothers were.

Maybe her being a woman was the problem? Maybe their father had believed women weren't able to make a business successful? He had never said it, per se, but sometimes actions spoke more than words…

Well, it didn't matter anymore. Her father was gone, her mother had died a long time ago and her stepmother was grieving. Cade was… wherever he was, and Christopher was trying to juggle two jobs and still keep his life afloat. As they say: C'est la vie. However she hated it, there was nothing she could do to change things, so, with a heavy sigh, she got into her car and started the engine. If she wanted to roast chicken for tonight she needed to get going.

**NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA**

Hearing about Cade's death left Lizzy devastated. She would never have thought she'd have to bury her own little brother. It also bothered her a lot that it had been her stepmother calling her with the grave news instead of Christopher.

'_Don't I deserve to hear about a tragedy like that from my remaining brother? Does he care about me so little that he can't even call me?'_

Logically, she knew Christopher did care about her. They were and had always been good siblings. Hell, they had never even really argued. All right, they weren't as close as siblings usually were but that had more to do with their 11-year age difference than anything else. At the time of his birth she'd already been a preteen, more interested in friends, afterschool activities and clothes than a baby. Admittedly, as a child he'd tried to get closer to his 'sista' but by then, she'd been a teenager with a lot to do at school and with lots of friends to hang out with. Okay, perhaps she could have payed more attention to him when their mother had died but she'd been grieving too… Anyway, it was too late to worry about it now. He still could have called her.

\- Rose, do you know anything about Christopher? – She asked as soon as the older woman answered the phone.

_\- He was here a few hours ago, dear. Why?_

\- Just because he didn't even bother to call me! After Cade… - There was a pregnant silence on the other side of the line while Elisabeth waited for a possible explanation and Rose was thinking about what to say.

_\- He's very upset._ – Was all the woman offered in the end.

\- Yes, well: so am I.

_\- I know, dear._

\- So then why is it all right that he's upset and not that I am?

_\- I didn't say that, Lizzy. Of course you're sad as well. You both have lost a brother…_ \- She gave a small sob and said something that was too muffled for Elisabeth to make out.

\- I'm sorry, Rose. I know it's not easy for you, either.

_\- I'm fine. I'm worried for the both of you. I wish you'd speak and be there for each other. Lizzy: will you call him?_

\- He could call me…

_\- Please… He's so alone, he doesn't have a family… His boss was with him here. He seemed like a nice guy and I'm glad Chris is not alone but I'm sure he'd be happy to hear your voice. His sister's._

\- All right, Rose. I'll try. Thank you.

Again, it would have to be her trying to get in touch. Great. After much debate, she tried it once but when Christopher didn't answer, she gave up.

**NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA * NCIS NOLA**

Elisabeth was getting angry and disappointed: it had been three days and Christopher still hadn't called her back. Really, didn't it mean anything to him that she was grieving for their brother? Didn't he want to talk to her, offer her an explanation or something?

Because she suspected he knew more than either her or Rose did. No, not suspected; she had no doubt about it. Christopher always just _knew_ things, mainly because his job but it was also more than that. Even when they'd been children, the youngest of them all, Christopher had been the one to catch on things first, be it about their mother's illness, her impending death or their father wanting to marry Rose a few years later. She was sure he knew the real reason for Cade's death as well and he wasn't going to keep it from her anymore!

\- Rose, Christopher won't answer the phone and doesn't call me back! – She blurted out immediately, not caring about how petulant she sounded.

_\- Oh, dear! I've been meaning to call you, I just couldn't-_ \- Rose trailed off, sobbing too hard to continue.

\- What… What happened?

_\- I'm so sorry. So very, very sorry…_

\- Rose!

_\- He's… dead. Lizzy: he's dead. Died today… _\- Rose was crying hard and taking deep breaths as if trying to control herself but failing at it spectacularly. – _They're gone… Both of them. And their daddy, too… It's only two of us now…_

\- What? How…?

_\- I… don't really know what happened. I believe he went after Cade's murderer. Because, Lizzy, he was murdered. And Christopher, too. It's over now, Lizzy, there's only you and me left…_

Elisabeth didn't hear anything anymore. She felt like she couldn't breathe and she was shaking like a leaf. Within just a short few days, she had lost both her brothers. Before that, she'd lost both her parents. Rose had been right: it was only the two of them now.

She would inherit the company, LaSalle Enterprises. It was all hers now, to do as she wished and to maintain. Like she'd always wanted to. What she'd studied and worked for.

For some reason though, she wasn't happy about it. The price she'd payed for it hadn't been worth it.


End file.
